Seasoned
by Brai
Summary: Matthew and Karis struggle with their affection as the seasons progress. — Matthew/Karis


I unintentionally fell in love with Dawnshipping (i.e., Matthew/Karis). Almost immediately upon finishing the game, I wrote this piece; I hope that my character interpretations were accurate. Everyone knows that Karis is tsundere. It was difficult to write this piece without Matthew having any dialogue, so I hope that the finished piece is intelligible.

_I don't claim any rights to the characters, universe, or other related material; it was created by Camelot. _

* * *

Memories of the winter's snow duly faded away along with the chill that accompanied such weather. All across Weyard, windows were being thrown open to allow the spring breeze to clear houses of their accumulated stuffiness. Its peoples no longer had to squint in order to shake off the illusion that vibrant, green grass was emerging from the dead brush. It was the time of year when seeds ought to be sowed in the cool earth.

"Gardening has to be the worst," groaned Karis, propping herself up against the hoe. "I think I'm getting blisters."

"It makes you tougher," reprimanded Tyrell, gently patting down a mound of soil.

"It must be nice only to worry about brawn, Tyrell."

"Hey!"

"It's not like you have much else going for you," Karis shrugged.

Matthew laughed lightly in response but didn't say anything. Hearing their banter was his favorite role in their conversations.

"You don't agree with her, do you?" asked Tyrell, turning to face Matthew.

After murmuring some noncommittal answer, Matthew avoided Tyrell's gaze. Tyrell appeared unsatisfied, so Matthew quickly turned back to the garden.

"You know, I think the worst part about gardening is that you have to wait all year until you can see the fruits of your labor. It isn't like baking when you can eat the apple pie when you're through making it," interjected Karis. "It looks striking when it's done, but the wait kills me."

No one replied, but the riveting breeze filled the silence. Without anyone else's empathy, Karis reluctantly returned to working the ground loose with the hoe. Matthew watched her work for a few moments: her hair clinging to her sweaty face, the look of utter loathe stinging her eyes, and the paleness of her tightened lips. Quietly, he moved to the box where they kept the seeds. After sifting through the loose packages, he found a particular bundle and spilled out a single seed onto his hand.

He approached Karis, nervous to interrupt her concentration before softly calling to her.

"What?" she snapped.

Matthew outstretched his palm, the single seed lying in it. Focusing, he pumped his Psynergy into it. The little seed quivered, then bulged, and from the bloated mass erupted a flower—a red rose. Gently, he handed the flower to her.

She raised the tender blossom to her nose, closing her eyes in order to inhale its aroma and sentiments. When she turned to thank him, she noticed that he already returned to his knees, sowing the rest of the garden. She smiled as she turned the flower around in her hands.

The world started to awaken in spring. She waited for him to awaken.

"It's too quiet without Tyrell," complained Karis.

Matthew nodded in response.

"And it's too hot to do anything else. I hate days like this."

No one ever really expects summer to approach, but, strangely, the days become longer and hotter. It's slow and subtle, yet when the weather was like this, everyone wished that they could fast forward into the cool autumn. The only relief from the heat was under the tree, but even then Karis had to rapidly fan herself with a paper fan to get any reprieve.

"On days like today, I find myself envying fish," Karis murmured. After seeing Matthew's inquisitive glance, she continued. "It's unfair that they can swim in the cool river so casually. Just look at them—" she gestured to the calm river a few meters away from them, "they're mocking us. I wish I would have brought other clothes to change into—"

Struggling against the oppressive heat, Matthew stood up. Haphazardly, he knocked off his shoes before prying his sweaty shirt from his body and tossing it on the ground. ("Wh-what are you doing?" Karis sputtered.) After giving her an appraising glance, Matthew jumped into the river. When he resurfaced, his bright grin made Karis blush.

"Easy for you to do—since you're a boy," she muttered. "Some of us have images that we must uphold. It'd be the scandal of the—" She stopped suddenly when she noticed that Matthew was no longer there.

"Matthew?" she called hesitantly. There was silence. She called again but received the same results. Thinking the worst, Karis kicked off her shoes and laid her fan down next to them.

"Matthew!" she yelled once more. Again there was no response. Karis bit her lip. There wasn't another option. Reluctantly, she strode to the riverside and dived. The river water was clear, but there was no sight of Matthew. She swam a little way downstream but still couldn't see him. Grudgingly, Karis surfaced to gasp for air when she saw him nearby. The knowing smile on his face was angering.

"You bastard! I thought you were drowning!" she screamed, charging for him with arms flailing. "You just wanted to get me in the water!"

Matthew's grin didn't cease as she approached him. Suddenly, her movement stopped. Karis looked alarmed at first, but as soon as she saw vines restraining her extremities, her anger seethed. Through her wrath, it was difficult to focus, but she was able to trigger her Psynergy. A whirlwind broke forth on the water, creating a water spout that headed towards Matthew. Quickly, he put up his hands in a gesture both to defend himself and surrender. Karis relented, and the whirlwind dispersed; the vines around her body collapsed and disappeared.

They stood staring at each other, both bearing grim expressions. Then, as though on cue, smiles broke out and tumultuous laughter arose from the pair. They moved to each other and embraced, each needing the other for support. From the dissipation of her anxiety, Karis found that tears reached her eyes, but the grin on her face and laughter erupting from her lungs seemed to contradict them. Suddenly, she pulled back.

"We don't want people to get the wrong idea," she said, abashed. "The heat's probably just getting to us."

Matthew nodded his assent.

Autumn is that awkward season. It might feel like summer on one day, but the weather for the next day might be more akin to winter. In the end, the falling leaves are the only true indicator of the change in season. The autumn called Matthew, Tyrell, and Karis to Kalay, where the autumn festival was occurring.

"Matthew, that's about the third loaf of cornbread you've eaten today," rebuked Karis.

"Lay off him, or, at the very least, praise me too," chortled Tyrell.

"If you aren't careful, you'll gain weight."

"Why do you always nag me about weight?"

"Because you always forget what 'in moderation' means!"

"What about you? That has to be at least the fourth frozen yogurt you've had today! No one will want to marry you: you'd be too costly."

Despite Tyrell and Karis's fiery debate, Matthew couldn't help but shiver at the cold breeze that occasionally plunged itself through the various vendors and gripped him. He absentmindedly rubbed his hands against each other; the relief was minimal. To help ameliorate this, he sneaked off to another vendor to buy a cup hot chocolate to warm his hands. Only Karis would have the audacity to eat frozen yogurt in face of the frigid weather, he noted with a smile.

When he returned to the group, he found Tyrell looking endearingly at bags of kettle corn, and Karis counting the money left in her wallet.

"You bought hot chocolate?" asked Karis, looking at Matthew.

Matthew nodded in response.

"You aren't cold, are you?" After seeing Matthew's hesitance, Karis scoffed. "Here, take my scarf. I'm not a wimp."

Karis removed her scarf. Wrapping her arms around Matthew's neck, she reached it around him and wrapped it snugly. She pulled back and admired her handiwork.

"Look, you're warming up already!" she said.

Matthew's cheeks were not red because of a sudden increase of temperature or the fact that her scarf was a bright pink, but he chose not to say anything; his mind was already racing. Autumn is not only a time for ending, mused Matthew but also a time for beginnings. Matthew prayed that this was only the beginning.

Winter always has a way of inviting itself unannounced but with an unparalleled fanfare. First, they noticed a light frost on the ground one morning. Then, Matthew drolly watched as his father slipped on a frozen patch of water. Finally, the first snowfall arrived.

"I guess we're snowed in," commented Isaac from the chair where he sat.

"You don't mind if I stay here tonight, do you?" asked Karis politely. She knew that he wouldn't deny her but still felt it proper to ask anyway. "It's already dark, and I—"

"That's fine, Karis. Just remember: the guest bedroom is down here; Matthew's bedroom is upstairs. I wouldn't want you to get confused and find yourself in Matthew's room in the middle of the night," he replied with a cheeky grin.

Matthew hung his head in embarrassment, but Karis ate up Isaac's humor. Matthew suddenly had a motive to leave the cozy loveseat that he shared with Karis but was too worried that his action would incur the subtle ridicule of his father.

"Trust me, I won't," replied Karis.

"But I suppose a cutie like you could find your way to my—" started Isaac before he was hit in the head with a box of tissues. "Jeez, Matthew, relax. No need to throw things."

Matthew glowered at his father in response.

"Well, g'night," said Isaac, rubbing his sore head as he quit the room.

Unable to find words, Karis and Matthew silently watched the fire crackling before them. While Matthew was tired, he didn't want to leave the gentle heat of the fireplace, knowing that the harsh coldness of his bed sheets would wait for him upstairs. Karis, however, was not content with the reverie that fell upon them. She turned her eyes to Matthew, who seemed utterly consumed by the flickering flames.

"What are you thinking about?" she asked quietly. Matthew raised his eyebrows inquisitively, so she continued. "You seem to be so distant sometimes. It makes me wish I could read minds like my dad. Just so I could see what you're thinking about. Not like it's anything important, I'm sure."

Matthew grinned. It always amused him how Karis appeared to be disinterested and stringent, but sometimes she gave her feelings away carelessly. He only wished that she would soften up a bit more often.

"Maybe... Maybe if we put our foreheads together," she started hesitantly, "then I could read your mind. Come on, let's try it."

Despite his bewilderment, Matthew obliged, shifting his body so they faced. Slowly, they leaned forward, and their foreheads slowly connected. Matthew was embarrassed; never before had he been so intimate with a girl.

"And maybe if we close our eyes," trailed Karis's voice softly.

Matthew felt like he could fall into her. Unintentionally, their breathing synchronized; her soft exhalations tickled his skin. Slowly and indecisively, Matthew pulled towards her, and Karis did likewise. Their lips connected, and their hearts skipped. After a brief time, they pulled apart. This time, Matthew wasn't the only one who had a reddened face, but he was unable to study it as Karis hid her face.

"I-it's late, I—erm, we—should go to bed," she stammered.

Matthew gave his assent with a halfhearted smile.

"I—uh, that is—good night," she recovered, speaking her last words pointedly. She quickly took two steps away before looking back. It only took her one step to return to Matthew's side. "I said good night." She quickly pecked him on the cheek before bouncing to the guest bedroom.

In the morning, Matthew wondered if it was a dream. Karis made sure that it wasn't.


End file.
